The very best factor about younger quarterbacks dealing with the strain of beginning early of their careers is that their finest performances could be omens to future greatness. On Sunday, many of the rookies who at the moment are beginning confirmed tantalizing glimpses of the long run that left groups and onlookers hungry for extra.

The worst factor about those self same quarterbacks? They’re nonetheless … so younger. Baker Mayfield proved that, and all of the Browns can do is discuss themselves into believing it is all a part of his well-known swagger.

On this case, it led Mayfield to publicly, verbally blame his ex-coach, Hue Jackson, for one of many few issues this season for which he was fully and categorically innocent.

The on-field swagger was nice for the Browns: Mayfield had his finest recreation by each conceivable measure, a lights-out first half and 4 landing passes in simply over two quarters in a 35-20 win in Cincinnati that ended the Browns’ 25-game street winless streak. Clearly it was the fruits of all the pieces he has absorbed since being rushed into motion in Week 3, and of the three video games below new coach Gregg Williams and new offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens.

After the sport? The entire handshake freeze-out regarded as pointless because it did petty.

Baker Mayfield unloads on Hue Jackson: “Did not really feel like speaking to him. He was right here making an attempt to inform us to play for him. Then he goes to a crew we play twice a 12 months. That’s how I really feel. We’ve individuals we imagine in calling the performs now.”

It took many of the soccer world a few tenth of a second to acknowledge the flaw in his reasoning: The place did this child get off telling his outdated coach, or any coach, to stay loyal to the franchise that fired him, and to indicate deference to them and the quirk of the schedule over his personal employment?

Mayfield is a rookie, however he’s nonetheless a grown man who is aware of one other grown man like Jackson doesn’t want his permission to take one other NFL job.

In Mayfield’s favor, it matches the sample of what motivates him, and the way it performs exterior of his locker room doesn’t appear to have an effect on that. Then again, his personal historical past is related, and it was certain to be introduced up on this context.

That is the opposite neatest thing about younger quarterbacks, although. They become older.

— Jackson, Allen show their value —

Sunday was a very good day for 2 different rookie quarterbacks. Not a lot for 2 others: Josh Rosen was on the flawed finish of a 45-10 Chargers rout of the Cardinals, and the Jets’ Sam Darnold sat out their recreation in opposition to the Patriots along with his injured foot.

Nevertheless …

— Lamar Jackson’s document as a starter improved to 2-Zero with the Ravens’ win over the Raiders at dwelling. The compliments the Ravens’ offensive workers earned final week in his debut appeared wasted for a half this week, however within the second half, as a substitute of pushing Jackson to be a extra standard passer, they turned him free as a runner and playmaker — and he ran and made performs. Now, the 6-5 Ravens are usually not solely within the wild-card hunt, however with the Steelers’ loss in Denver, they’re again within the race for the AFC North title. Watching Joe Flacco’s potential return to apply after his hip damage will now turn into Baltimore’s favourite pastime.

— The Payments’ Josh Allen additionally used his legs to enhance his arm, and in opposition to the Jaguars, he wanted it. He rushed for 99 yards, scored the go-ahead landing and arrange one other with a long term. He additionally uncorked a wide ranging throw to Robert Foster, whereas getting buried by three Jaguars, for a 75-yard landing. His passing stats have been exceedingly pedestrian. He made it work. Way more vital, although: He ended the tragicomic merry-go-round at quarterback whereas he missed 4 video games with a sprained elbow. In solely his sixth begin, he confirmed that he was a marked improve from Nathan Peterman, Derek Anderson and even Miraculous Matt Barkley.

— Bengals’ protection would possibly spell Lewis’ doom … or not —

A face-plant of the magnitude of the one the Bengals took at dwelling in opposition to the Browns would seemingly put all people’s jobs in jeopardy. However everybody has been fooled by that earlier than; Marvin Lewis is in his 16th season, and doubtless on his eighth or ninth scorching seat in that span, as a beneficiant estimate. He’ll be gone when he is gone.

Proper now, although, it is ugly. After giving up 51 factors — once more, at dwelling — to the Saints two weeks in the past (the third straight time they gave up not less than 500 yards), defensive coordinator Teryl Austin was fired. Lewis took over the duties, then final week added Hue Jackson as a defensive advisor. The outcomes Sunday have been … what they have been: They gave up 296 yards within the first half and touchdowns on 4 of 5 possessions on their strategy to a 28-7 gap.

The David Njoku landing will reside in infamy in Cincinnati, so long as the Bengals keep this dangerous.

Afterward, Lewis stated he had “no subject with the crew’s effort.” He was ridiculed in lots of corners. However he is likely to be proper. They may simply be that dangerous a gaggle of gamers, and that poorly ready and coached. Why Austin, employed solely this season, is the one one who has suffered the results of this isn’t in any respect clear.

— With Chargers, it’s Lynn as in ‘win’ —

Philip Rivers was near-perfect in opposition to the Cardinals, the Chargers bounced again huge after a slender loss to the Broncos final week, they usually hit the house stretch at 8-3, only a recreation behind a Chiefs crew that appeared unbeatable a month into the season.

All that being stated, if Anthony Lynn just isn’t talked about within the dialog for coach of the 12 months, the dialog ought to stop instantly.

Beneath Lynn, now in his second season, the Chargers have gone 17-6 since their 0-Four begin in 2017 — a lot of that begin because of dangerous kicking. The identical offender is essentially chargeable for the Broncos loss, which snapped a six-game successful streak. Their solely different two losses have been to the Rams and Chiefs. They’ve solely had Joey Bosa again on their protection since, once more, final week in opposition to Denver; on Sunday he had two sacks.

— 49ers feeling ache of 2017 draft —

It’s miles from probably the most troubling side of the 49ers’ launch of Reuben Foster after one other home violence arrest. However the abrupt finish to Foster’s tainted profession shined an uncomfortable gentle on the primary draft by mind belief John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan.

There are many components feeding the 49ers’ 2-9 document, their 27-9 domination by the Buccaneers in Tampa on Sunday and their lead within the race to the underside, for the primary choose within the 2019 draft. However lacking early on that 2017 draft is a part of the mess. Recall, they traded down from No. 2 to No. Three general with the Bears, who took Mitchell Trubisky, whereas the 49ers took Solomon Thomas. Trubisky is blossoming in his first full 12 months as a starter. Thomas has underachieved with 4 profession sacks up to now.

Foster, in fact, is gone, the 49ers getting simply 16 video games out of him. They traded up within the second spherical for him. Third-round cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon has fallen off in his second season.

Even with successes from additional down within the draft that 12 months, like fifth-round tight finish George Kittle, getting so little from three excessive picks lays a basis for a dismal season. It is nonetheless early for Thomas and Witherspoon. For Foster, it is too late.

It was fairly a day for back-breaking interceptions. Ben Roethlisberger’s choose ultimately zone in Denver had the most important fast influence. Josh McCown’s choose late within the first half in opposition to the Patriots was a masterpiece of recklessness. Cam Newton’s horrible choose ultimately zone in opposition to the Seahawks was his solely huge mistake, however it was huge.

Eli Manning’s choose on the finish of the primary half in Philadelphia is tough to high, although. Despite the fact that it got here with a number of recreation left, and with the Giants up 19-11, it was apparent as quickly because it occurred that the Giants can be fortunate if it did not come again to hang-out them.

It adopted an Eagles landing that had minimize into what had been a 19-Three Giants lead, and New York had come proper again and marched to Philadelphia’s 27-yard line within the last seconds. The Giants had time to take a couple of cracks on the finish zone, then accept some pretty simple factors to shut the half. Manning, although, tried to pressure one to Odell Beckham Jr. with three Eagles surrounding him on the objective line, and Malcolm Jenkins made the straightforward choose.

Pat Shurmur tried to take the warmth for Manning by claiming he “baited” his quarterback by stating how gentle the Eagles have been defending that drive. Manning, in fact, shouldn’t have wanted somebody to inform him to easily throw the ball away, take the sector objective and head for the locker room. The Giants didn’t come shut to a different scoring probability that good till late within the fourth quarter, after the Eagles had taken the lead.